Gripper for printing-presses.



PATENTED MAY 29, 1906.

P. R. STEARNS. GRIPPER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 251905,

ANDREW. a. mum on pnoro-umcsnwnsns wnsumcwn, v c.

FRANK R. STEARNS, OF GREELEY, COLORADO.

GRIPPER FOR PRlNTlNG-PRESSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

Application filed July 25,1905. Serial No. 271.208.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK R. STEARNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greeley, in the county of Weld and State of Colorado, haveinvented a new and useful Gripper for Printing-Presses, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to means for securing paper in aprinting-press while the impression is being made.

The principal object is to provide novel means of a simple naturewhereby the grippers may be readily adjusted in order to properlycooperate with sheets of different sizes, said adjusting means beingefficiently locked in order to maintain the grippers in their adjustedposition. i

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the.improved structure. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, on an enlargedscale and on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view throughthe structure on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference-numerals designate cor. respgnding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated a pivotal frame-bar 5 is employed, havinggudgeons 6 at its ends, whereby it may be pivotally mounted, saidframe-bar being provided with longitudinal slots 7 and 8, that openthrough the same side of the bar, one of the slots 7 being considerablylarger than the other and extending through the bar, but terminatingshort of the ends thereof, the other extending the entire length of thebar, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Secured centrally in the slot 7 is ablock 9, constituting journal-bearings for the inner ends of a pair ofindependently-movable screw or worm shafts 10, that extendlongitudinally in the slot 7, their outer ends projecting beyond theends of the frame-bar and carrying knurled operating-heads 11..

The said shafts are longitudinally slidable into and out of theirbearings and are normally held against longitudinal movement, andconsequently against detachment, by retaining-screws 12, threaded intothe block 9 and having reduced inner ends 13, which are located inannular grooves 14, formed in the inner ends of the shafts.

The gripper-fingers are designated 15 and may be of any desired orwell-known shape. They are disposed transversely of the framebar and areslidable longitudinally thereof, their rear ends being offset, formingguide projections 16, which slide in the slot 8. Said fingers arefurthermore provided with offset enlargements 17, that snugly andslidably fit in the slot 7 on opposite sides of the block 9, beingprovided with threaded openings 18, through which the shafts 10 pass,said shafts thereby having threaded engagements with the fingers. Theshafts are normally held against rotation by yielding spring-detents 19,secured to the ends of the frame-bar, projecting outwardly and engagingthe roughened annular surfaces of the operating-heads 11.

In order to adjust the fingers, the operator has only to grasp the heads11 and rotate the same in the desired direction, whereupon the shaftsbeing correspondingly rotated the fingers will be carried either towardor away from each other, so that they may be quickly adjusted toproperly cooperate with sheets of difierent sizes. When the adjustmenthas been obtained, the shafts are automatically and frictionally lockedby the springs 19. If it becomes necessary or desirable to remove thefingers 15, by removing the screws 12 the shafts can be readilyreleased, not only from the block 9, but also from said fingers, wherebythe fingers can be readily detached and reapplied.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construc tion may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gripping device of the character described, a pivotal frame-barhaving a longitudinal slot and a block located in an intermediateportion of the slot, independent screw or worm shafts having their innerends journaled in the block and their outer ends journaled in the endsof the frame-bar, said shafts extending longitudinally in the slot,gripperfingers disposed transversely of the frame bar and havingenlargements located in the slot, said enlargements being in threadedengagement with the shafts, retaining devices for the shafts mounted inthe block and engaging the inner ends of said shafts journaled in saidblock, and holding devices mounted on the ends of the frame-bar andengaging the outer end portions of the shafts.

2. In a gripping device of the character described, a pivotal frame-barhaving spaced longitudinal slots opening through the same side of thebar, a journal-bearing located in one of the slots, independent screw orworm shafts having their inner ends journaled in the bearing and theirouter ends j ournaled in the ends of the frame-bar, said shaftsextending longitudinally in the slot having the bearing and beingprovided at their outer ends with knurled heads, spring-clips secured toed engagement With said the frame-bar and yieldingly engaging theknurled heads to normally hold the same and thereby the shafts againstrotation, gripperfingers disposed transversely of the frame bar andhaving terminals slidably engaged in one of the slots, said fingersbeing furthermore provided with enlargements located in the slot havingthe shafts and beingin threadshafts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK R. STEARNS.

Witnesses:

G. M. Hous'roN, HY. CANDLIN.

